


Homecoming

by apollaskywalker



Series: Benjamin and Mary Tallmadge [5]
Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-09-03 11:45:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8711821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apollaskywalker/pseuds/apollaskywalker
Summary: Benjamin Tallmadge returns to Setauket after the war. It's a bit like stepping into the past but Ben's looking to the future.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tvsn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tvsn/gifts).



The last to be discharged from service and following Washington’s farewell dinner, Benjamin Tallmadge arrived in Setauket nearing the end of 1783. Caleb and Anna had returned about a month before him, along with his father and Selah Strong. Court cases were pending over the tavern, but given the current interregnum status as the states began trying to set in place authority, the British retreated along with a fair share of Tories, and the rumor mill at full tilt, no one seemed sure when that case would be settled. Strong Manor had returned to Selah Strong’s possession. Caleb reclaimed his uncle’s orchards from the neighbors who’d taken over it after his uncle’s death. The Reverend Tallmadge planned to return to the pulpit as soon as the church was returned to its proper order and the graveyard reassembled into its respectful manner.

Ben rode into town, aware that his last trips had been in disguise and in hiding. Now, riding on his horse on the main roads, he hadn’t felt comfortable enough to wear plainclothes. The concern over being caught and hanged still lingered. He wore his uniform and helmet, saber on his hip, guns in their respective holsters.

Passersby looked up at the sound of horse hooves and stopped in their tracks. The adults whispered to one another, “That’s Reverend Tallmadge’s boy – that’s Benjamin.” The kids stared up at him in awe, fear, and uncertainty. Before they would have run to the British officer or to Simcoe – now…now they didn’t know who to tell. A few scattered to tell their parents, “Mama, mama, there’s a rebel!” “Papa, papa! A soldier is here!”

Ben stopped outside of the tavern and dismounted. He tied his horse to the post and went inside, figuring it would be the best to know if his father had arrived and what he could expect.

Like when he’d gone to New York following the surrender, he drew everyone’s attention. They fell quiet, except for Caleb, who cheered you, “Tallboy! Ya made it!”

“Should have known you’d be here,” Ben took the seat next to him.

“Well, I had business with Selah – figured he’d be able to advise me on how to get my uncle’s property in my name and all – since our magnificent magistrate’s not too keen on my being on his property.” Caleb signaled for a drink for Ben. “Speaking of…you might want to go make yourself a nuisance to him.”

“Why’s that?” Ben thanked the server who brought him ale. He looked around, there was something different in the occupants, someone missing…

“He’s got some guests, distinguished guests.”

 Robeson. Robeson was missing. Where was that unkempt ingrate?

“And one you might be itching to see.”

“What?” Ben asked. What had Caleb been saying? Something about guests at Selah’s?

“Miss Floyd.” Caleb winked.

Ben jumped up. “Mary’s at Selah’s?”

“What? No! She’s at Whitehall – oi!” Ben abandoned the drink and the tavern, mounted his horse, and rode for Abe’s childhood home.

He didn’t expect to see him there, but he answered the door. Handler and agent looked at each other. “Welcome back, Tallmadge,” Abe held out his hand. Ben glanced down and then slowly took it. Abe pulled him in for a hug. “Good to see you, you bastard.”

“Good to see you,” Ben laughed.

 

~*~

 

Mary sat at the piano, going over a section of a piece. The quick change from high to low gave her troubles, so she replayed it. Mr. Woodhull and her father sat playing chess, but the magistrate offered some advice to her. She turned from the keys to ask if he played but there was a knock at the door.

“I’ve got it,” Abraham announced.

Mary tried it the way the magistrate had suggested but hit the wrong note. “Perhaps you could demonstrate?” she asked him hopefully.

Her father chuckled. “Unless your interests have changed since we last met, Richard, I sincerely doubt your ability to render my daughter anything of actual assistance.”

“You’re right, some things haven’t changed,” Woodhull said with a wistful air. Mary turned away from the men to just pantomime playing. She touched each key, but did not press on any, just getting the movement down. A few more tries of that and she then pressed the keys. Closer. She tried again and ignored the sound of people entering the room.

A man cleared his throat and she turned around, ready to leave in case of more business. Benjamin stood in front of her, helmet tucked under his arm.

 The world froze for a brief moment as she felt torn between throwing herself into his arms and crumpling to the floor. The war was over now. Truly, it was over now.

She wanted to laugh. She wanted to weep.

The moment shattered as Ben tossed his helmet into an empty chair and hurried over to fall to his knees before her and kiss her.

Ben broke the kiss when someone cleared his throat. Mary imagined it was her father. Ben figured it was the magistrate. A pale pink tinge to his cheeks, Ben rose to his feet and cleared his throat. He turned to Judge Woodhull and inclined his head respectfully. “Judge,” he turned to Mary’s father and similarly nodded. “General Floyd. Uhh….I apologize for my lack of decorum – the past few days have been…well –“ Floyd smiled indulgently but Judge Woodhull scowled. Ben continued, “It’s been a while, sir,” he addressed Judge Woodhull. “I-“

“You’d do well to get out of my house.”

“I believe that is our cue to leave, Mary,” Floyd rose and extended his hand. “I imagine these gentlemen have business that does not concern us.” Mary glanced at Ben whose hand twitched as if he wanted to beg her stay at his side.

“Sir, the war is over –“

“And that is fine. Congratulations on your victory, Major,” Woodhull turned the title into a sneer. “But I will not forgive you for what you did to my son.”

Floyd took hold of Mary’s hand and pulled her up from the seat at the piano.

“It’s _Colonel_ and I did nothing to your son,” Mary yanked her hand away from her father’s and went to Ben’s side. Floyd shrugged and walked out of the room. Mary touched Ben’s arm.

“You did nothing? You think I’m a simpleton? You convinced him to spy for Washington – you turned my son, an upstanding man into a cowardly, dishonorable man!” Abraham walked in as his father finished hissing this to Ben. He started to say something but Ben spoke first. Mary doubted Ben knew Abraham was in the room.

“I turned no one – your son has a mind and will of his own. But I’ll gladly leave this house and never return.” He turned to Mary and offered her his arm but her hands fell to her sides and remained there. Ben’s face broke for a second and then he stormed out, leaving Mary and the Judge alone. Abraham quickly followed after Ben. What he had to say, Mary didn’t try to listen.

The magistrate leveled his gaze at Mary. “You would do well to forget all about him, my dear. Marry a man with honor.”

“I will,” Mary nodded. She went over to pick up the helmet from the chair where it had landed. She stroked the horsehair plume and then faced the judge with a smile. “And he has more honor than any man I’ve ever met.” With that, she left the room to catch up to Benjamin.

~*~

 

Livid, Ben stormed out of the house while Abe grabbed at him and tried to calm him down. “You told him?!” Ben snapped.

“No, he figured it out –“

Ben stopped abruptly and got in Abe’s face. “ _He figured it out_?! So the number of times I kept my mouth shut and killed to keep your cover – and your father figured it out? When?”

“Around the time I was in pr-“

 “Ah, Major Tallmadge, there you are, when Aberdeen said you’d left, I worried I might miss you,” Floyd joined them on the porch. He acted as though he didn’t see the anger and tension of the men’s faces. He held up a letter. “I wished to discuss this with you, in person.” Ben glanced at the paper, brows drawn together, and then relaxed when he figured out what it was. Floyd unfolded it and cleared his throat. “I’ve gone through it several times –“

“With all due respect, sir, I don’t think it matters any longer.”

“Why is that?” Floyd frowned. Abe craned his head as if that would reveal the contents of the letter.

The door opened and Mary came out onto the porch with Ben’s helmet. She looked up at Ben and smiled. “You forgot this,” she held it out to him.

He took it and then turned to Floyd. “You might ask her. I think her opinion of me just changed.”

“What are you talking about?” Mary asked.

“Is this true, Polly? Do you have no wish to marry the major here –“

“Colonel,” Mary corrected. “And – “ understanding dawned on her. “Wait. You truly think that what the magistrate said changed my feelings for you? You think I didn’t know who you are? What you have done for your country? If New York didn’t change my mind, what hope does a simple judge have? No offense meant, Mr. Woodhull,” she added the last to Abraham.

“None taken,” Abe looked like he either wanted to laugh or was constipated.

“Well, then, Mr. Tallmadge, it sounds to me as if we do have something to discuss. Come, let us walk and talk.”

Mary snagged the helmet back from Ben. “Then you can have this after you’ve talked.”

Floyd escorted Ben off the porch, opening the letter as he did so. They didn’t begin talking until they were out of earshot. Abe reached out for the helmet. “Let me see that?”

“Wait a minute,” Mary adjusted the plume. “I’ve always wanted to try this on.” She placed it on her head. “Well? What do you think?”

 

~*~

 

Floyd paused in the garden and poked his cane at the frosty flowerbeds. “It must be good to be home.

“It is, sir,” Ben acknowledged. “But…I’ve not thought of Setauket as home, really, for some time.”

“Hmm,” Floyd hummed in acknowledgement, his thoughts on the home he’d not seen since signing the Declaration. Mary only just seen her home, having fled to Connecticut at the beginning of the war and now here he stood, considering giving her to a man who would take her, once again, away from Mastic. He considered the letter and read a section aloud. It concerned the house Ben had purchased. “Is the house furnished?” Ben acknowledged that there remained some work in that department. “Hmm…and have you thought about if Mary doesn’t wish to live there?”

“I asked her, once, what kind of home she imagined living in – where she’d like to live. It has the grounds for gardens, a barn, it’s large enough for children, and it’s near enough to town that her wants and needs can be met in relative ease.”

Floyd went through Ben’s business plans, his current standings, and then leaned on his cane, suddenly feeling old. “I lost my wife and child during this war, Tallmadge. I have not seen my home in years – and you’ve asked me for my oldest daughter.” Ben said nothing. “So you look me in the eyes, Tallmadge, and you answer me this. Do you love her? Will you cherish her, care for her? Or will you hurt her?”

 

~*~

 

Instead of returning to the house, to Mary and his helmet, Ben went home. He paused at the door and took a deep breath. It had been too long – for a brief moment he expected his _mother_ to answer the door. Susannah Tallmadge had been dead for half his life now.

Samuel wouldn’t be there, either.

He faltered at the thought. He could smell the woods, the burnt gunpowder, and hear Selah’s faint voice as he recounted what had happened. Ben remembered the burning in his chest as he vowed to Robert Rogers that he _wouldn’t_ be hiding.

The door opened and Nathaniel Tallmadge crossed the threshold to embrace his son.

Not ten minutes ago, Ben had presented his case to a man for why he should be allowed to marry that man’s daughter. He was a colonel, discharged honorably from the army, had fought in battles – had commanded men in battle – and now, he felt like a little boy again. He wanted to curl up against his father, bury his head against his father’s shoulder and drift off to sleep. He was suddenly so very, very tired.

His father ended the embrace and waved him inside, talking a mile a minute. Ben caught two words of it, accepted some coffee, and promptly fell asleep at the table.

Nathaniel Tallmadge set his cup on the table and stared at the man before him. There was no denying he was a man, and though he’d last seen him in the winter, he seemed older now. There were faint lines around his eyes and a slight droop to his shoulders. But with Ben’s eyes closed, Nathaniel couldn’t look at him and not see the baby his wife had nursed and rocked to sleep. He couldn’t not see the little boy who’d fallen asleep over books, woken up when they moved him into bed with Samuel, the boy who’d asked, “Papa, if fish can breathe under water, why can’t we?” He didn’t see the teenager who’d rebelled at Yale by drinking and breaking things with Nathan and Enoch Hale. He didn’t see the man who’d stabbed a ranger in the throat, stolen his coat, and was the only one of his dragoons to survive that. He didn’t see the man who’d pulled Andre’s legs to give him a swifter, more merciful death. He only saw the boy.

And like he had when Benjamin had been little, Nathaniel picked his son up and carried him to a bed. There was more weight than when he’d been little and he nearly smacked Ben’s head or feet into furniture as he made his way to the bed. He deposited him on the mattress and expected Ben to wake, but he didn’t. Nathaniel removed Ben’s boots and then his jacket. Remarkably, he slept through the jacket. The war evidently turned his son into a heavy sleeper. Samuel used to complain that sharing a bed with Ben meant being woken for every howling wind, animal outside, or person walking about.

Nathaniel draped his son with a quilt and sat down at the table to finish his coffee and read a few sermons.

 

~*~

 

Someone brought an ox to roast, Ben would need to find out who later so he could thank them. DeJong volunteered ale and cider, according to Anna, and Selah had agreed, with only a light reminder of whose tavern it actually was. For the party, they were willing to ignore the thorn festering in their sides. Women brought dishes to pass, which was a delight since Ben hadn’t had some of these dishes in years. Mrs. Barnes snuck over to him to show him the plate of sweet rolls she’d made. “Like when you were a boy,” she reminded him, then thrust a second plate of them at him. “Just for you, go hide them so you don’t have to share.” Ben laughed and put them in the house.

The Floyds arrived with the Woodhulls. Judge Woodhull had even decided to attend but he avoided Ben as much as he could. Likewise, Ben steered clear of the judge. Mary presented his helmet to him and Thomas reached for the plume. “Sorry,” Mrs. Woodhull apologized about it. “He really likes it.”

“No need to apologize,” Ben held out the helmet to Thomas. “Would you like to try it on?”

Thomas accepted it and then ran around with the other children, the plume fanning behind him in the wind.

With Nicoll, Caleb, and Abe, Ben started the fire to roast the ox. A few people hovered nearby to enjoy the warmth of the fire. People drank, laughed, cried over missing friends, gossiped, and rejoiced at the end of the war. Caleb and Nicoll hoisted the spitted ox over the fire and Nicoll commented that he wished the British had evacuated earlier. “Don’t get me wrong, the fire feels better now than it would in say the summer, but it’s easier to get those stakes in the ground when it’s not frosted!”

 “Well,” Abe shrugged, “they were pretty shocked to lose. I think they were waiting to find out it wasn’t a joke.”

“Wouldn’t that be a great joke, though,” Caleb laughed. “I’d love to see their faces when they realized they’d been duped!”

“No, thanks,” Nicoll grumbled. “I never want to see another redcoat or Tory again in my life.” Changing the subject, he asked, “So when are you going to ask my sister to marry you?”

Ben poked the fire and shook his head. “When I’ve come up with the right way to ask.”

“What’s so difficult? You just ask.” Caleb rolled his eyes.

“When I asked Mary to marry me, I was simple and direct.”

“You married your brother’s fiancée,” Caleb reminded him. “I don’t think that kind of template would work for Ben. I mean, what did you say to her? ‘Hey, I know you were going to marry my brother, but…what about me instead?’”

Abe laughed which allowed the rest of them to chuckle. “Basically.”

“Just ask her,” Nicoll insisted. “She’ll say yes. She thinks you’re the second coming of Christ, it’s nauseating. If these past two years hadn’t been so hard for her, listening to her sing your praises would have gotten annoying.”

Ben blushed. “Well, I –“

“No. Here. POLLY!” Nicoll yelled for his sister. She looked up from the gathering of women at the table of food, arranging plates and making sure food that needed to be warm was taken care of. He waved her over and she extricated herself to answer his summons.

Ben’s cheeks burned and it had nothing to do with the cold, but he would cling to that excuse if pressed.

“Tallmadge has something to ask you,” Nicoll told her when she reached them. Ben stared at Mary’s feet. She moved closer to the fire and held her hands out to warm them. “Go on,” Nicoll punched Ben’s arm encouragingly.

Ben swallowed. “Is there…do you have a preference on what cut of meat you want?”

Nicoll and Caleb groaned. Abe sighed. Mary, on the other hand, looked slightly relieved. Ben noticed that and his stomach twisted. Was she glad he hadn’t asked because she didn’t want to marry him? Or was she just glad he hadn’t asked in those circumstances?

“No preference,” Mary answered cheerfully.

 

~*~

 

Kitty shook Mary awake. “Do you hear that?”

Mary pressed her face into her pillow and grumbled something Kitty couldn’t understand. There was another rap at the window and Kitty reluctantly left the warm bed to investigate. Mary whined as Kitty left the blankets pushed back, letting cold air under them.

She crossed to the window and looked out. There were no trees tall enough or close enough for their branches to tap against the glass. Snow was falling, but the wind didn’t appear strong enough to make the ice crystals strike the glass with enough fervor to make the sound, and definitely not with the timing. If it were the wind, it would hit more often, right?

Prompted by the detection of movement, she looked down at the ground. A man stood there, waving at her. Curious, Kitty opened the window and shivered at the cold air now sliding into the room. Back in bed, Mary shivered and snuggled further under. “Mary!” the man called up to her, loud enough to be heard but faint enough that the sleeping household wouldn’t wake from it.

She recognized the voice – Major Tallmadge’s. “She’s asleep,” Kitty called down, “like you should be.”

“Rouse her!” Tallmadge ordered.

“No! Go home!”

“Miss Floyd, please!”

“Shut the window!” Mary snapped, sitting up. “Do you want to catch a cold?”

Kitty gestured at the window. “Tell your mad beau to leave, then.”

“What,” Mary threw the covers off and went over to the window. Sure enough, down on the ground was Benjamin Tallmadge.

 

~*~

 

She really was beautiful, Ben thought when she came out of the house. She wore a simple nightdress, clutching a shawl around her shoulders. Thankfully she wore real shoes, so her feet would be warm. Her hair was loose and in disarray. The wind added to that, blowing strands across her face, which she tucked behind her ear. “What are you doing here, Ben?” she asked, staying on the porch.

“I –“ he had what he wanted to say but now he had to start it. “I’d like to talk to you, but I wanted to do it without anyone else around and…I’d like to, well, not be on Judge Woodhull’s property – he’s not too fond of me.”

Mary bit her lip and shivered. She clutched her shawl tighter and Ben moved to her, undoing his cloak. “I’m not dressed to go anywhere –“

“Here,” he handed her his cloak and put it around her shoulders. “Please. I promise. I’ll keep you warm and we won’t get caught.”

That made her step away. “Won’t get caught? My sister knows you’re here! She’s going to be waiting for me! And – ‘get caught’, get caught doing _what_?”

He winced. He had not phrased that very well at all. “Just. Trust me?” He watched her think it over and then nodded. He grinned and held his arm out for her to take it. She did so and he pulled her closer to him, sharing some of his body heat. They left faint tracks in the snow, but if the precipitation kept up, he had no doubt they would vanish before morning.

Ben led her to his horse and helped her up, then took his place behind her. He recalled when they’d first met, how they’d shared a horse then too.

“Where are we going?” she asked and he gently nudged the horse into movement.

“You’ll see.”

In retrospect, it might have been wiser to have her sit behind him. That way she could have leaned forward and hidden her face from the wind.

He took them to Caleb’s uncle’s orchard. No one was there now save them. They dismounted and he tied the horse up, and then walked with her over to one of the trees. He carried his saddlebag with him. He knew she’d seen that and probably wondered about it. When they reached the tree, he took out a blanket and spread it on the ground.

The snow continued to fall, little flakes landing on the fabric and melting a bit. Ben sat and directed her to sit with him. “This is Caleb’s orchard now,” he told her. “It belonged to his uncle. We used to play here as children – pick apples too. This was my mother’s favorite tree; she used to say that it had the best apples. Too bad it’s winter, no blossoms or fruit.”

Mary tucked her feet under herself and lowered her face out of the wind. “Please tell me you didn’t bring me out here for stories. There’s the fireside for that.”

“I didn’t. I promise. I woke up, saw it was snowing and…well, I knew then the answer.” He knew he was being vague. “Winter makes me think of you,” he adjusted himself so he was on his knees, facing her. “The snow makes me think of you. Mary…I asked your father for his permission to marry you – legally. And so…will you, Mary Floyd, take me as your husband for all the world to see?”

And without hesitation, she answered, “Yes.”


	2. Chapter 2

Once Mary had left and been gone for a while, Kitty lit a candle and got a book. It was difficult reading and between resting her strained eyes and looking up at any sound, expecting her sister, she read maybe three sentences. She knew not how long her sister had been gone, but when the door knob turned, Kitty threw the book to the side of the bed and started to get out of bed. She paused when her father walked in.

“Why are you awake, Kitty?” he asked and then noticed Mary’s absence. “Where’s your sister?”

“She woke me up,” Kitty began and then spat out the first idea that came to her. “She went to the privy but I asked her to fetch me something to eat, so she might be in the kitchen.”

“Ah,” Floyd nodded. “Perhaps I’ll see her. I saw your light and wanted to make sure you weren’t asleep with it lit.” He started to leave and then faced her. “You sure you’re all right?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

To her absolute horror, he came over to sit on the bed. The longer he was there, the more likely he was to realize Mary wasn’t in the kitchen or the outhouse. Then Mary would get in trouble and Kitty would get in trouble for not stopping her _and_ for lying. “I won’t pretend to understand why you turned down Ja- Mr. Madison, but I respect your decision. But it can’t be easy, especially now that Mr. Tallmadge has received my blessing to marry your sister. You mustn’t be jealous of her, Kitty, she is your elder sister, it’s only natural she marry first.”

“He has to ask her first,” Kitty regretted saying it. She should have just thanked him for his advice, said she was fine, and let him leave.

“Yes, I imagine he holds some romantic scheme and will ask soon. We should be happy for Mary.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if he _wasn’t_ happy for Mary. He had used the plural pronoun rather than direct it at her alone. But she hesitated, torn between curiosity and wanting him to leave. The door opened again and Mary walked in, her cheeks bright pink (from the cold or from Mr. Tallmadge?), snow in her hair and on her shawl.

“You were supposed to bring me something to eat,” Kitty reprimanded her, keeping the lie. Mary hung her shawl on the back of the chair and gave Kitty a puzzled look. “Ugh, I can’t believe you forgot.”

“Sorry.” Mary didn’t sound sorry at all. “Everything all right?”

“Yes, of course. I saw the light and wanted to check on you both.” Floyd kissed the top of Kitty’s head and stood. Smoothing down his nightclothes, Floyd approached Mary and kissed her cheek. “Get under the covers, my dear, you’re chilled.”

Mary followed his advice, he bid them goodnight, and continued on his way. Kitty blew out the candle and they snuggled under the covers. Mary started to ask what had been discussed but Kitty shushed her. “I covered for you. You owe me. Now tell me _everything_.”

“In the morning,” Mary closed her eyes. “I’m tired.”

Kitty bit back an angered yell, sat upright, grabbed her pillow, and smacked Mary with it. “No! Now!”

Her sister did deserve some thanks. What she had done was not something she wanted her father to ever find out about – nor anyone else, for that matter. It was not something anyone of good standing would approve of, out and about after dark with a man! She needed Kitty to keep quiet, so she settled on her side, facing Kitty. “He proposed.”

Kitty shrieked and then covered her mouth. The girls stayed silent and still. They listened and when no one made any noise or attempt to learn the source of the sound, Mary continued. “He took me to the Brewsters’ orchard and proposed there.”

“Did you…” Kitty made a hand gesture under the covers that Mary couldn’t see. “You know…lie with him?”

Mary flushed. “No! Of course not!” Though she wouldn’t admit it to Kitty, a large part of that was that she would not lie with anyone on the cold ground, outside while _snow_ fell. That seemed a surefire way to catch a cold or worse. And at least rooms with doors provided some measure against being seen. 

No one but Ben knew of what had happened between them in Mr. Townsend’s basement or the root cellar of Mr. Woodhull. That had been successfully kept from Kitty and her mother. Ben had promised not to tell anyone and she believed him.

“He’s going to ask us to dinner tomorrow,” Mary smiled. “That way he can take me aside and pretend to ask me then. So you can’t say anything.”

Kitty put her hand on her breast. “Really, Polly, I’m offended. As if I would!”

 

~*~

 

Aberdeen brought the note to Floyd after it arrived. He and Nicoll were going over plans to rebuild their house at Mastic, since the British had trashed it. Neither one of them knew the price of timber, having been absent from Long Island for so long. The Judge, however, had some ideas and contacts (though mostly Loyalists) and had provided a list containing the details. “There are two options for Tories,” Nicoll hypothesized. “First, have higher prices than others so they can have specie to fall back on or rebuild following retribution. The other is have lower prices and hope for more business and goodwill from the community.”

Floyd nodded. “Yes….but you’re forgetting another option. They might desire to leave and therefore take whatever is offered. I’m opposed to purchasing from Tories, but this gives us an idea.”

“If we –“ Nicoll stopped speaking as Aberdeen approached.

“Mr. Floyd, this arrived for you,” she handed it to him. Floyd accepted it and opened the note. He read over it and then smiled. Without prompting, he gave it to Nicoll and went to find his daughters.

He didn’t need to go far, they were in the main sitting room with Mrs. Woodhull and other women of the society, including Mrs. Strong. 

“You want to keep the fabric tight,” Mrs. Strong ran her needle through it, “don’t over think it, loop the thread like this –“ Kitty copied the stitch on her own project. Floyd didn’t know what she was sewing, but it didn’t matter. He’d find out eventually.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, ladies,” they stopped sewing and he asked to see his daughters. They tucked their needles safely away and placed their sewing aside before following him out of the room. “We have been invited by the Reverend Tallmadge to dinner this evening. I plan to send note of our acceptance unless you have any objections.”

Kitty’s lips twitched, her eyes sparkled, and she stared at Mary. Purposefully, Mary ignored her and expressed that she had no objections. Floyd nodded and looked at Kitty, whose face was twitching. “And you, Kitty? Any objections?”

“What?” Kitty squeaked. “No. None!” Floyd looked between his daughters, sighed, and dismissed them. He’d just turned his back when he heard Kitty burst into giggles and Mary accompany her. Should he be concerned or was this just a woman thing?

 

~*~

 

For so long, any formal event meant Ben would wear his uniform. And while this dinner wasn’t formal, his father had cast a look over Ben’s clothes and asked pointedly if _that_ was what he planned to wear. That prompted Ben to look through his clothes and pick out a more appropriate outfit. The problem there was that Ben didn’t know what counted as the appropriate outfit. He had plenty of white shirts and waistcoats and white breeches – he’d needed those for his uniform. But was that too close to military to be appropriate when starting his civilian life?

What of a white shirt and brown waistcoat? God, he’d look like Abe! All brown? Would that make him look like a tree trunk?

He rather wanted to powder his hair too – like the General did. But was that too formal?

Throwing on a coat, Ben called out a quick promise to return shortly, and ran into town. He slowed to a more reasonable pace when he came near people. They greeted him warmly and when more than two stopped to chat, he realized he would either have to confess to being in a hurry or accept that he wouldn’t return to the house as soon as he’d intended. 

Eventually he made it to Selah’s tavern and found Anna. Her transition to civilian life was easier, he figured, as she’d gone right back to being hostess. He took her aside and explained he needed her help. When he explained why, she laughed at him.

“I don’t see what’s funny about this,” Ben grumbled.

“Remember when I said you’d been away from Setauket too long?” Anna sighed happily. “You just proved my point.”

Ben remembered all too well.

Anna replaced the pitcher of beer in the kitchen and suggested they go look at his clothes.

They returned to the Tallmadge house and Anna began going thorough his wardrobe. She flung a pair of black breeches at him. “Do you have a black waistcoat?” she asked. “Black goes with anything.”

“No, but I have many brown ones.”

Anna wrinkled her nose. “I take it back, black does not go well with brown. It’s too close,” she opened the dresser drawers and began rifling through the contents. Since none of the things in there belonged to Ben, he wondered if he should stop her. Upon finding a few black waistcoats, she held one up and asked, “So whose is this?”

The size was its tell. “Samuel’s.”

Anna reexamined it, giving the clothes a healthy amount of respect. Then she urged Ben to try it on, insisting Samuel would be fine with Ben wearing it. It could work, Anna declared, even though Ben complained about its ill fit. She found some pins and went to work. Fabric pinned, Ben eased out of the garment and Anna sat down to tailor it. “I was at the magistrate’s this morning,” she told Ben while he put his clothes away. “While I was there, the Floyds received your invitation.” Ben nodded and folded a shirt. “Miss Catherine was very giddy and kept giving Mary some very…interesting looks. Anything you’d care to share?”

“I’m making an offer of marriage to Mary – I spoke to her father about it, so I’m sure they suspect it’ll happen tonight.” 

“Will it?” Anna wet the thread with her tongue and tried once again to thread her needle.

Ben gestured at the waistcoat in her hands. “What do _you_ think?” Anna grinned. Ben sat down next to her. “I’m not the only one with marriage in the future.”

“No, I imagine soon Caleb will find a girl and settle down.”

Ben cocked his head to the side and grimaced. “Yeah….I don’t see that…but I was actually talking about my father. He proposed to a lady he met during the war. She’s accepted.”

 

~*~

 

Dinner came and went. The men had discussed politics, rebuilding their lives, Ben detailed how he would work with his cousin John in Litchfield in establishing his store. They compared tasks of furnishing their homes – Ben starting from scratch, the Floyds from the trashed remains of their home. Mary and Kitty ate in relative silence, offering small comments and opinions where appropriate.

Eventually the dinner finished and the Reverend conjured up some excuse that allowed Ben and Mary to linger in the dining room. The help (rehired at the party, she’d worked for the Tallmadges before the war and lost her employment when Simcoe framed the Reverend for attempted murder) didn’t come to take the dishes away, prompting Mary to begin stacking plates.

“You don’t need to do that,” Ben stopped her hand with his. “This isn’t your house.” 

Mary looked up at him, lips quirked at his unintended joke. “Is this where we pretend you ask me to marry you?”

Ben went down on one knee again, keeping hold of her hand. “I’ll have you know, I once performed at Yale, so I am quite adept at fulfilling a role.”

“And yet you have failed to provide me a script.”

“You are required to ad lib.”

“What an enchanted life I live,” Mary adopted a thoroughly dramatic tone, as if narrating to an audience, though her voice remained at the same volume. “That I have had three proposals – all from the same man, all met with the same answer.”

“You haven’t given me an answer this time around.” 

“I should think the chief of intelligence and a Yale graduate would be able to deduce it.”

Ben rose and pulled her to him. “Then shall we grab the wine and go break the news?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, I realized that I, being a sister, would not have just let my sister return to bed after her boyfriend showed up in the middle of the night and she stayed out longer than a few minutes. (I'd text the hell out of her and probably call the cops, at the very least wake up my parents.) That line of thought led me to add this chapter.
> 
> In reality, Ben opened the store in Litchfield with his brother John, here I have him as his cousin. 
> 
> The Floyds' home was used during the war by the British troops and they were well aware of who he was and the treason he'd committed in signing the Declaration. So yeah. 
> 
> Ben's dad did remarry. But he remarried before the war in 1770 (January 3 - I remember because that's my birthday) to Zipporah Strong. Since the show doesn't mention her at all, I've made it so that he's going to get married following the war. Rev. Tallmadge and Zipporah didn't have any kids, so that's not going to be affected by delaying their marriage for the purposes of the story.
> 
> Ben's reference to being in a play at Yale is a reference to a deleted scene from season 3 where he tells George Washington that Nathan Hale's last words were from Cato which they performed together at Yale. Did they actually act in a play? Don't know. Was it Cato? It's possible, but I don't know.
> 
> And if you have the chance, you should go check out tvsn drawing of Ben and Mary (with the dragoon helmet) here: http://tavsancuk.tumblr.com/post/154206780520/apolla-savre-alysonbm-here-is-my-bad-sketch#notes  
> IT'S SUPER CUTE AND I LOVE IT

**Author's Note:**

> Washington's farewell to his officers took place on Dec. 4 at Fraunces Tavern. We'd better get to see it in the show. Ben was bumped up in rank at the end of the war to lt. colonel. 
> 
> Tallmadge recorded that when he returned home, there was a big celebration where they did roast an ox and he was declared "master of ceremonies" at that event. He also notes that it wasn't an environment that Tories would have been able to stomach, but I had Judge Woodhull show up anyway. There is no mention of whether or not the Floyds were there, but following the war. In April they went up to Mastic and Madison accompanied them for a ways. He and Kitty were supposed to marry in June but she called it off.
> 
> Also, guys, I need to know what to do about "Blessed Are Those Who Mourn" because uh...yeah, I have to write Betsy out of the story. And I found out that the Floyds were in Philadelphia at the end of the war, so...should I just delete it or leave it but have a note at the end? I'm torn.
> 
> Also, this is gifted to Tav because IT'S STILL YOUR BIRTHDAY HERE IN MY TIMEZONE. SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!


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